uwstudent.org

As of 31 July 2006, students will no longer have Fed Bus as a service, the Ontario Highway Transport Board has ruled. In its ruling dated 3 May 2006 and received by Feds today, the board finds that Feds and the bus company it uses are contravening the law that licenses bus companies.

The ruling was based on a hearing held in Kitchener on 30 March 2006. At that hearing representatives from Feds, Students Transportation of Canada Inc., and Greyhound Canada Transportation Limited presented arguments to the board.

The hearing was initiated by a complaint from Greyhound who argued that Feds and STC was providing a service for which they were not licensed. The case largely depended on whether the bus was "scheduled service" or "chartered trip" as defined in the Public Vehicles Act.

The ruling from the board states, "Based upon the evidence it is the Board's opinion that the service provided by STC to the Federation is not a chartered trip."

The boards two findings are:

1. that Student Transportation of Canada Inc, is operating in contravention of the Public Vehicles Act and orders STC to cease the operation of the transportation service in the manner that caused the contravention, effective July 31, 2006; and

2. that the Federation of Students, University of Waterloo, is in contravention of the Public Vehicles Act and orders the Federation to cease arranging transportation with STC, effective July 31, 2006.

A press release from Feds says that Fed Bus will operate until 31 July and that it will consider appealing: "The Federation of Students is currently examining avenues of appeal in consultation with its lawyers and the STC."

• [Feds] Students express disappointment to Fed Bus/Greyhound Ruling Feds 8 May 2006
• UW students plead to keep bus [The Record] 4 Apr 2006
• Fed Bus hearing sets future Imp 31 Mar 2006
• Greyhound growls over UW busing [The Record] 31 Mar 2006
• Greyhound to challenge Feds in transport hearing uws 22 Mar 2006